Railway armored wood cross-tie.



G. A. CASE.

RAILWAY ARMORED WOOD GROSS TIE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1909.

Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

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UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. CASE, OF J'OP-LI-N, MISSOURI.

RAILWAY ARMORED WOOD GROSS-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 6, 1909. Serial No. 511,653.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. CASE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Joplin, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Railway Armored \Vood Gross-Ties; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention as applied. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the invention as ap plied. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the invention taken through one of the spikes. Fig. 4 is a cross sectlon of the tie showing a modification.

The invention has relation to railway cross-ties, having for its object the production of a tie which is designed to be practically indestructible, and which is of simple character and may be economically manufactured.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, the letter a, designates an ordinary wooden tie having at each end thereof a socket or notch b, in its upper portion, of dimensions preferably two to three inches Wide, eight inches long and five inches in depth. The entire tie is enveloped in a coating or armor of cement or concrete 0, preferably one and one-half inches in thickness, surrounding and completely covering the tie upon all sides and ends, such cement or concrete also filling in the sockets b, b, at the ends of the tie. The railway rails are laid upon the concrete-filled socket portions of the ties, and secured in place in any suitable manner, such for instance as with the spikes e, e, driven into the wooden plugs (Z, (Z, seated in the concrete-filled socket portions of the tie. These plugs are inserted in place before the concrete becomes hard, and the driving of the spikes therein will effectually expand the plugs in their seats, preventing displacement thereof. The wooden plugs will be preferably each one inch square and six inches long. A wire loop cl, engages holes d d bored in the tie body below its socket, and passes across closely against the bottom of the wood tie body and upward along the sides of the plug, being preferably twisted at the upper end over the head of the spike as shown, to more firmly hold the plug and spike in place. The wire of the loop is preferably fastened to the sides of the wooden plug by staples. In this way the life of the tie is prolonged indefinitely at a comparatively small expense, which will not exceed fifty or sixty cents per tie, according to the size of the tie, the tie being at the same time made stronger, affording a larger bearing surface for the rails, requiring less tamping or ballasting and permitting the use of heavier rolling stock without prejudice thereto.

It is designed to accomplish the renewal of the cross ties without disturbance of traffic, by taking out every other tie and providing the same with the concrete armor and other additions stated, by means of suitable portable molds and portable concrete mixing machinery located close at hand. The improved alternate ties are then replaced, tamped and the rails spiked thereto, when the remaining wooden ties are removed, treated in a similar manner and replaced in turn.

The wooden plugs are preferably made of some durable wood, such as cedar, and form the only part of the tie which is liable to decay. These plugs may be replaced when worn out by new ones, and the rails spiked thereto. The concrete armor is preferably made with a waterproof filler to prevent absorbance of water and consequent cracking and disintegration which may occur in freezing weather. A thin wooden tie or surface plate 7', is employed between the rail and the tie to prevent cutting of the armor concrete by the rail.

In Fig. t of the drawings is shown a modification of the invention wherein the concrete armor is reinforced by the use of wire cloth 9.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- .ters Patent is 1. A railroad tie composed of a wooden body forming the major portion thereof and having end sockets, a comparatively thin armor of protecting material, and a fillin for said sockets homogeneous and integra with said armoru 2. A railroad tie composed of a wooden body forming the major portion thereof and Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

having end sockets, a comparatively thin armor envelop of concrete, a concrete filling for said sockets integral With said armor envelop, and Wooden plugs having seats in the fillings for said end sockets.

3. A railroad cross-tie composed of a Wooden body having sockets in the ends thereof, a comparatively thin armor envelop of concrete also filling said sockets, Wooden plugs having seats in the socket concrete and Wire fastenings for holding the plugs and spikes more firmly in position.

4. A railroad tie composed of a Wooden body forming the major portion thereof and having end sockets, a comparatively thln armor envelop of concrete, and a concrete filling for said end sockets overlaid by and held in position by said armor envelop.

5. A railroad tie composed of a Wooden body forming the major portion thereof and having end sockets, a comparatively thin armor envelop of concrete, a fabric reinforcement for said armor envelop, and a concrete filling for said end sockets overlaid by and held in position by said armor envelop. 25

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, 1n presence of two wltnesses.

GEORGE A. CASE.

Witnesses O. T. STREET, 0. W. MATTHEW. 

